Furniture structure



1961 J. H. WILSON 2,997,339

FURNITURE STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JamesH. Wilson MMJ JGW ATTORNEY 1961 J. H. WILSON 2,997,339

FURNITURE STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. l3.

INVENTOR James H. Wilson ATTORNEY 2,997,339 F STRUCTURE James H. Wilson,Sturgis, Mich., assignor to Sturgis Posture Chair Company, Sturgis,Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Oct. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 848,300 13Claims. (Cl. 297-239) This invention relates to furniture of the typewhich can be stacked telescopically with identical pieces, one uponanother.

One object of the invention is to provide bases for furniture of theabove type hving improved means for spacing like pieces apart in astack. Another object is to provide furniture bases with novel spacingmeans which make it possible to stack furniture quietly, without theusual noisy clatter. Another object is to provide bases with stackingmeans which fasten the stacks of furniture together more securely.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved stackable chairs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair having a meanswhich serves a two-fold function, first to assist in stacking and secondto assist in linking chairs together in side-by-side operative position.

In accordance with the invention there is provided, on a furniture orchair base of the type which can be nested vertically, means forstacking identical pieces of furniture in spaced nested relationship,comprising a pair of horizontal bars, one on each side, connecting therespective front and rear legs below the tops of the legs and above thebottoms thereof, and coacting support means at the tops of the legs forsupporting the horizontal bars of an identical base. Means are alsoprovided for linking the pieces of furniture side by side in operativeposition for use.

Other objects of the invention and resulting advantages will be apparentfrom the following description and from the appended drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a chair 20 made in accordance with myinvention;

FIGURE 2. is a side \u'ew showing chair 20 with a chair 20a of identicalconstruction stacked upon it;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the base of chair 20;

FIGURE 4 is a front view of the base, showing a portion of the chairseat, sectionalized above the front member of the base;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation, partly in section, showingthe coacting stacking means of two of these chairs;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view showing how two of these chairs may belinked together side by side;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 7--7 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of another chair 40 constructed inaccordance with my invention;

FIGURE 9 is a side view of two such chairs stacked one upon the other;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the chair base of chair 40;

FIGURE 11 is a front view of the base showing a portion of the seat insection;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary View showing the coacting means for stacking;and

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary section taken on line 13-13 of FIGURE 11.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate the sameor similar parts, FIGURES 1-4 show a chair 20 constructed in accordancewith my invention, comprising a seat 21 rigidly fastened to the top of abase arena Patented Aug. 22, 1961 22. Base 22 comprises a pair ofinverted U-shaped front and rear standards 23 and 24, formed of metaltubing and secured together at their upper ends by a connecting bar 25welded to both. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the standards are inclinedwith respect to each other so that the front and rear legs 26 and 27formed by the respective sides of the U-shaped standards convergeupwardly. Seat 21 is not as broad as standards 23 and 24, and the backportion 21a of the seat inclines slightly upwardly and rearwardly, sothat identical chairs may be nested or stacked vertically by telescopingthem, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

In accordance with my invention I provide means for stacking identicalchairs of this character, comprising a pair of horizontal bars 28 and29, one on each lateral side, each connecting the front and rear legs 26and 27 of the respective side, and bar support means for supporting thehorizontal bars of an identical chair stacked thereon, comprising inthis preferred embodiment of my invention, support pads 30 extendingfrom standards 23 and 24, one pad for each leg, each fixed to therespective standard at the top of the respective leg portion of thelatter, in a position vertically above the horizontal bar on the sameside. Each pad is formed with a recess or groove 31 in its uppersurface, said recess being shaped to fit the horizontal bar of anidentical chair stacked on this chair, and the pads 30 being positionedso that they all accurately lit the corresponding horizontal bars ofsuch an identical chair. Horizontal bars 28 and 29 are spaced below thetops of legs 26 and 27, and above the bottoms thereof, being spacedbelow recesses 31 sufliciently to space the seats and frames of adjacentchairs from each other.

I prefer to use pads 30 of molded plastic of suitable resilientcomposition, e.g: linear polyethylene, so as to provide a quiet,rattle-free connection between adjacent chairs. I also prefer to formthe recesses 31 with overhanging resilient lips 32 spaced more closelytogether than the thickness of horizontal bars 28 or 29, so that pads 30may constitute spring clips to grasp said bars of another chair when thelatter are forced into them, thus releasably locking adjacent stackedchairs together. This is illustrated in FIGURE 5, in which a pad 30 oflower chair 20 receives the horizontal bar 28a of upper chair 20w. I mayuse metallic spring clips instead of the plastic ones described.

Pads 30 also provide a part of the means for linking chairs togetherside by side, in cooperation with a side linking loop 33 extendinglaterally outwardly from one side of base 22. Loop 33 is formed of stockhaving the same cross-section as that of horizontal bars 28 and 29, andit fits in the same manner into the spring clips or recesses of theadjacent pads 30a of an identical chair 20a placed beside chair 20.

FIGURES 8-11 show another chair 40 constructed in accordance with myinvention. This chair is identical in structure with chair 20 except forthe stacking means. A pair of horizontal bars 48 and 49 are provided,one on each lateral side of base 42, connecting the inner lateral sidesof the respective front and rear legs 46 and 47. A pair of support bars50, one on each lateral side, also connect standards 43 and 44, andtherefore the respective front and rear legs 46 and 47. Support bars 50are attached to and extend outwardly from the standards on the outerupper sides thereof, being rigidly joined thereto by suitable means,such as welding. An upwardly facing recess 51 is thus formed at the topof each of the four legs, inwardly of the support bars 50, between themand the standards 43 and 44, and on top of the latter. Support bars 50are spaced slightly farther apart than horizontal bars 48 and 49, sothat the horizontal bars of an identical chair stacked on top of chair40 will rest thereon with the centers of bars 48 and 49 inwardly of thecenters of the respective bars 50. This is illustrated in FIGURE 12, inwhich the horizontal bar 48a of upper chair 40a rests in the spacebetween standard 43 and support bar 50 of lower chair 40. Bars 48' and49 may rest on the inner sides of bars 50 and/or on the adjacent uppersurfaces of standards 43 and 44. Preferably, welded joints 51a betweenbars 50 and standards 43 and 44 are shaped and laterally spaced so as toform shaped recesses for supporting the horizontal bars of an identicalchair 40a stacked on chair 40, as illustrated in FIG- URE 9.

Lower or horizontal bars 48 and 49 are spaced between the upper andlower ends of the legs, and are spaced below upper or support bars 50sufliciently to space apart the chairs and bases of adjacent chairs in astack.

It will be seen that I have provided novel and effective means forimproving the stacking characteristics of chairs and the like, and forlinking furniture of this character together side by side.

Numerous changes within the scope of the appended claims will beapparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A chair adapted to be stacked telescopically with identical chairsone upon another in columns, said chair comprising a seat and a baseattached thereto, said base comprising a pair of inverted U-shapedstandards, one each at the front and rear, the sides of said standardsforming legs, one leg on each lateral side, the two legs on each lateralside being inclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, meanssecuring said standards together at their upper ends, a pair ofhorizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs, one ateach lateral side of said base, each said bar connecting the front andrear legs on the respective lateral side, and bar support meansextending from said standards at each lateral side proximate the tops ofsaid legs, said bar support means comprising pads, one at the top ofeach leg, each pad being recessed to lit the horizontal bar of anidentical chair stacked on said first-named chair.

2. A chair adapted to be stacked telescopically with identical chairsone upon another in columns, said chair comprising a seat and a baseattached thereto, said base comprising a pair of inverted U-shapedstandards, one

each at the front and rear, the sides of said standards forming legs,one leg on each lateral side, the two legs on each lateral side beinginclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, means securing saidstandards together at their upper ends, a pair of horizontal bars spacedfrom the bottoms and tops of said legs, one at each lateral side of saidbase, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on the respectivelateral side, and bar support means extending from said standards ateach lateral side proximate the tops of said legs, said bar supportmeans comprising spring clips, one at the top of each leg, adapted togrip the respective horizontal bars of an identical chair stacked onsaid first-named chair.

3. A chair adapted to be stacked telescopically with identical chairsone upon another in columns, said chair comprising a seat and a baseattached thereto, said base comprising a pair of inverted U-shapedstandards, one each at the front and rear, the sides of said standardsforming legs, one leg on each lateral side, the two legs on each lateralside being inclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, meanssecuring said standards together at their upper ends, a pair ofhorizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs, one ateach lateral side of said base, each said bar connecting the front andrear legs on the respective lateral side, and bar support meansextending from said standards at each lateral side proximate the tops ofsaid legs, said bar support means comprising a pair of support bars, oneoneach lateral side, each connecting the front and rear standards, thejunctures of said support bars and said standards providing cradles onthe inner sides of said support bars, one at each leg, for supportingthe respective horizontal bars of an identical chair.

4. A furniture base adapted to be stacked telescopically with identicalbases one upon another in columns, comprising two pairs of legs, onepair on each lateral side of said base, the legs of each pair beinginclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, means securing saidlegs together at the upper end of said base, a pair of horizontal barsspaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs, one at each lateral sideof said base, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on therespective side, and bar support means extending from each lateral sideof said base proximate the tops of said legs, said bar support meanscomprising spring clips, one at the top of each leg, adapted to grip therespective horizontal bars of an identical furniture base stacked onsaid first-named furniture base.

5. A furniture base adapted to be stacked telescopically with identicalbases one upon another in columns, comprising two pairs of legs, onepair on each lateral side of said base, the legs of each pair beinginclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, means securing saidlegs together at the upper end of said base, a pair of horizontal barsspaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs, one at each lateral sideof said base, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on therespec tive side, and bar support means extending from each lateral sideof said base proximate the tops of said legs, said bar support meanscomprising a pair of support bars, one on each lateral side, eachconnecting the front and rear legs on the respective side, the juncturesof said support bars and said legs providing cradles on the inner sidesof said support bars, one at each leg, for supporting the respectivehorizontal bars of an identical base.

6. A furniture base adapted to be stacked telescopically with identicalbases one upon another in columns, comprising two pairs of legs, onepair on each lateral side of said base, the legs of each pair beinginclined from each other so as to converge upwardly, means securing saidlegs together at the tops thereof and at the upper end of said base, apair of horizontal bars spaced from the bottoms and tops of said legs,oneat each lateral side of said base, each said bar connecting the frontand rear legs on the respective side and having a lower, longitudinallyextending bearing surface, and bar support means extending from eachlateral side of said base at the junctures of said first-named means andsaid legs, said bar support means comprising members each having anoutwardly and upwardly extending support surface lying vertically aboveone of said bearing surfaces, said support surface being adapted toengage the bearing surface of and thereby support the respectivehorizontal bar of an identical base stacked on said furniture base.

7. A furniture base as defined by claim 6, each said bar support meanscomprising a support cradle having an inwardly and upwardly extendingsupport surface disposed inwardly of said outwardly and upwardlyextending support surface and cooperating therewith to provide oppositesupport surfaces of said cradle.

8. A chair as defined by claim 3, said horizontal bars spaced from thetops and bottoms of said legs being attached to the respective legsinwardly of the outer lateral surfaces thereof, said cradles being invertical alignment respectively with said horizontal bars.

9. A furniture base adapted to be stacked telescopically with identicalbases one upon another in columns, comprising two pairs of legs, onepair on each lateral side of said base, the legs of each pair beinginclined from each other so as to convergeupwardly, means securing saidlegs-together at theupper end of said base, a pair of horizontal barsspaced from the bottoms and topsof said legs, one at each lateral sideof said base, each said bar connecting the front and rear legs on therespective side, and bar support means extending from each lateral sideof said base proximate the tops of said legs, said bar support meanscomprising pads on said base, one at the top of each leg, each pad beingrecessed to fit the horizontal bar of an identical base.

10. A furniture base as defined by claim 9, each said pad having arecess adapted to fit one of said horizontal bars, said recesses beingat the same level, said base having a laterally offset bar connectingone of said pairs of legs, said last-named bar having a portion which isspaced outwardly from said base, said portion being at the same level asand being parallel to a line joining the recesses in the pair ofadjacent pads.

'11. A furniture base as defined by claim 5, said horizontal bars spacedfrom the bottoms and tops of said legs being attached to the respectivelegs inwardly of 15 6 port means, said portion being adapted to engagethe support surface of the adjacent bar support means of a laterallyadjacent identical furniture base.

13. A furniture base as defined by claim 7 having a laterally offset barconnecting one of said pairs of legs, said last-named bar having aportion which is spaced outwardly from said base at the same level assaid bar support means, said portion being adapted to engage the supportsurfaces of the support cradle of the adjacent bar support means of alaterally adjacent identical furniture base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,893,469 Eames et al July 7, 1959 2,952,300 Cohen Sept. 13, 1960FOREIGN PATENTS 83,945 Netherlands Jan. 15, 1957

